Molly Brown

Entry 1
Technique # 1 No Opt Out
Description: In this technique, the teacher does not let a student opt out of answering a question
by saying I dont know or another way of not answering a teachers question. Often when
students are reluctant or hesitant to answer, they will opt out by saying I dont know. Using
this technique results in a student who did not answer a question answering the question.
Teachers use cueing questions or ask another students to support the first student to help the
student answer the original question.
Observation/Implementation: I observed my teacher at Tarrant Intermediate using this strategy
almost every day during math class. When a student would say I dont know she would even
say to them they could not opt out of answering the question. Especially when they were
practicing a new skill, the students were very hesitant to answer a question in front of everyone.
The students were reluctant to try and often would resort to saying I dont know. If a student
does know answer a question, she would call on another student who was raising their hand or
was paying attention. If the second student is able to answer the question, she will go back to the
first student and make them say the answer. We were working on graphing points on a coordinate
grid and the students were confusing the X axis and Y axis. If a student did not answer, another
student would be called on and then the first student would say the answer and explain how they
would graph that point.

Technique # 3 Stretch It
Description: In this technique, the sequence of learning does not end with a right answer.
Correct answers are followed with follow-up questions to allow the student to extend or stretch
their knowledge and understanding. This technique checks for replicable understanding and
allows for differentiation. Asking questions for specific students allows teachers to check for
mastery and meet the students where they are.

Observation/Implementation: I observed this technique when I was at Shades Cahaba during

Jan Term. My teacher would ask prompting questions to help students practice narrating their
thinking. During math, she would ask students to explain their correct answers. This allowed
students to think through and describe their own thinking processes. She would help them by
asking how they got their answer and then ask why they solved the problem the way they did.
Asking the students to explain how they got their answers gave my teacher the opportunity to
check for understanding while stretching the students thinking.

Entry 2
Technique # 6 Begin with the End
Description: Using this technique means the teacher thinks about the end goals of what they are
teaching before planning assessments, activities, and lessons. This means the teacher must ask
questions like Why am I teaching this material? and What is the outcome? and How does
this relate to what Ill teach tomorrow? Asking these questions causes teachers to begin each
lesson by circling back to anything the class did not fully master the day before. Beginning with
the end in mind means that teachers plan lessons that build on each other.
Observation/Implementation: I have used this technique when I was planning my unit.
Planning a unit means thinking about the overarching concepts and big ideas of a standard before
writing lessons and planning activities. Each lesson has to flow from one big idea to the next
seamlessly. All the information must be presented in a way that makes sense, and in a way that
relates back to the main concept that students need to know.

Technique # 8 Post It
Description: This technique means that the teacher posts the objectives in her classroom for all
the see. This shows students what they should be trying to do each day. Making students aware
of the days objective helps them to be more intentional about the goal they are working toward
each day.

Observation/Implementation: My teacher at Tarrant Intermediate taught math, science, and

writing. She has a bulletin board next to her dry erase board that she dedicated to the daily
objective. Each objective started with the words I can. She had dry erase sentence strips that
she wrote on each day. To begin each lesson, she would write the learning target on her paper
that was projected onto the board and the students would read the target out loud and they would
write the learning target on their paper as well. This was a great way to show students what they
would be learning about each day.

Entry 3
Technique # 15 Circulate
Description: In this technique, the teacher strategically moves around the classroom during all
parts of the lesson. The teacher should be able to have full access to stand next to each student in
the classroom. Teachers must break the plane and move among the rows of desks in the
classroom. While circulating, the teacher should engage with students while circulating in the
classroom. This technique holds students accountable.
Observation/Implementation: I have used this technique when teaching lessons at Tarrant
Intermediate. While students were working on the you do part of the lesson, I would circulate
between the rows of desks to check for progress, ask and answer questions, and make sure
students were on task. I think this is a very effective technique because when the students knew I
was walking around, they were held more accountable for doing their work. Circulating the
classroom allowed me to help students and keep disruptions to a minimum.

Technique # Take a Stand

Description: This technique involves having students engage in what their peers are saying by
making judgments about the answers their peers have provided.
Observation/Implementation: I also used this technique when teaching lessons at Tarrant. We
started each math lesson with a warm up called Find the Goof. I would write an incorrect math
statement on the board and the students would figure out what the student did wrong. I would

call on someone to explain what the student did wrong. After the student answered (correctly or
incorrectly) I would ask the students to show a thumbs up if they agreed with their classmate or a
thumbs down if they disagreed with their classmate. This allowed students to make judgements
about their peers answer. I would call on another student and ask them to explain why they
agreed or disagreed with their classmates answer.

Entry 4
Technique # 24 Pepper
Description: In this technique, teachers use fast-paced, group oriented activities to review
familiar information and foundational skills. The teacher quickly tosses questions to a group of
students and does not stop for discussion.
Observation/Implementation: While at Tarrant, we would review fundamental math skills for
the upcoming ACT Aspire test. My teacher would give the students review sheets and they would
work the problems on their own and then she would take questions. If a student had trouble with
a question involving multiplying fractions, she would quickly cold call students and go through
the problem step by step. This allowed for a quick review that involved many students. It was
fast moving and very engaging. She would also use equity sticks to randomly call on students.

Technique # 25 Wait Time

Description: Wait time involves strategically waiting for a few seconds after asking a question
and calling on a student. Allowing students time to think will increase the number of correct
answers, decrease the number of I dont know responses, increases the number of students who
volunteer to answer, and increase the use of evidence to support answers.
Observation/Implementation: My teacher at Tarrant would use this technique to give all
students time to think about their answer before calling on a student. She would use a sand timer
to keep the time. Students knew not to shout out answers or raise their hand until the timer was
done. This was an effective way to get all the students in the class thinking about the question.
She would also tell the students reasons why she was not calling on them. For example, she

would say Im not calling on anyone until the timer is done or Im waiting for more people to
raise their hand. This gave students more time to think about their own response to the question.

Entry 5
Technique # 39 Do It Again
Description: This is a strategy used to maintain behavioral expectations in the classroom. If
students fail to successfully complete a basic task they have been taught how to do, they must do
the task again until it is completed correctly. This technique helps teachers set a standard of
excellence in the classroom instead of just compliance.
Observation/Implementation: I observed my teacher at Tarrant effectively use this technique.
The students in her class had a difficult time lining up to leave for recess. They were being loud
and excessively talking in line while still in the front of the classroom. My teacher gained their
attention and explained what they were doing wrong. She also told them how they should be
behaving while standing in line. She made the students return to their seats and line up again.
This time, the students were quiet and cooperative in the line.

Technique # 31 Binder Control

Description: This technique is an effective way to keep classrooms organized. In this technique,
students are required to have binder where they can take notes. This binder has a required way of
organizing papers and every person uses the same system to stay organized. Students keep a
table of contents and number each page to keep papers organized.
Observation/Implementation: My teacher at Tarrant kept her students very organized by using
different composition notebooks for each subject. Students would write all their math notes and
tape in practice worksheets in their math notebook. Students would write the days learning
target on the top of each page so they could refer back to their notes without searching through
all the pages. This was an effective way to keep students organized. They were given their
homework each day and it was kept in a homework folder to take home.